Our Mission Refugees International (RI) advocates for lifesaving protection and assistance for displaced people and promotes solutions to displacement crises.

“THE SCOPE AND THE CARE OF YOUR ADVOCACY IS TRULY REMARKABLE. YOUR FIELDWORK ENSURES THAT WHEN YOU CALL FOR CHANGE, IT’S BECAUSE YOU’VE SEEN THE NEED FIRST-HAND. WHEN REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL PROPOSES NEW POLICY, IT’S SERIOUS, WELL-INFORMED, AND SPEAKS WITH URGENCY.”

– SENATOR CHRIS COONS OF DELAWARE, 2015 CONGRESSIONAL HONOREE, RI’S 36TH ANNIVERSARY DINNER

A woman awaits repair materials for her house in Trokhizbenka in eastern Ukraine. Photo courtesy of Patrick Breslin for Refugees International.

Front cover: A displaced child at a camp in Baghdad province, Iraq. Letter from the President and Board Chair Dear Friends and Partners,

2015 was truly a year unlike any other. As the numbers of those displaced by conflict globally became impossible to ignore, the world was forced to pay attention. From across the Middle East, to the shores of Europe, unprecedented numbers of people fled their homes.

In many of these cases, refugees were met with staunch stonewalling by governments. Walls were built, borders were closed, refugees were defamed. Dangerous and harmful rhetoric conflating refugees with terrorists became all too common. The need to speak out in defense of the displaced and find solutions to their plight became more important than ever. At Refugees International, the very core of our mission was tested. However, our message remained loud and clear: THE RIGHTS OF DISPLACED PEOPLE MUST BE RECOGNIZED AND RESPECTED.

We continued to shine a spotlight on long-running displacement crises: Syrian refugees, the long-persecuted Rohingya, and those affected by ongoing conflicts in South Sudan, the Central African Republic and . And as these crises continue, 2015 also saw the emergence of new displacement hotspots. Refugees International was the first organization to report on Burundi’s displacement crisis— both internal and external—and exposed the military recruitment of Burundian refugees from camps in Rwanda. We also traveled to El Salvador where RI’s reporting brought much-needed attention to the thousands internally displaced by the country’s deadly gang violence. We traveled to Ukraine, an invisible displacement crisis, where more than 1 million people have fled their homes due to the conflict in the east. And we were on the ground in Greece, as thousands of Syrian refugees arrived seeking what they hoped would be a better future.

Throughout 2015, Refugees International was there to raise the voices of the people at the center of these crises: the refugees and displaced people themselves. In this report, you’ll learn about the tremendous impact we made in their lives. We are so grateful to those who have continued to support us in these challenging times. But there is still much to be done. We are truly grateful for those who continue to believe in our mission and our work.

Sincerely,

Michel Gabaudan, President Eileen Shields-West, Board Chair

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Icons made by Freepik from Flaticon South Sudan “SOUTH SUDAN HAS BECOME A CONSTRAINTS-BASED RESPONSE, NOT A NEEDS-BASED RESPONSE.” –AID WORKER, JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN

Since 2013, South Sudan has been devastated by conflict as the government and opposition fight for territory and political control, often targeting civilians. When RI traveled to South Sudan in January 2015, around 2 million people had been forced from their homes including about 1.5 million internally displaced people (IDPs). The United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) was housing roughly 110,000 IDPs in temporary shelter on its six bases. Donors and aid organizations had mobilized to deliver significant amounts of aid but logistical and security challenges hampered the effectiveness of the response. UNMISS was also falling short of its mandate due to the presence of so many IDPs on its bases and its lack of resources. Upon return, RI met with donor government representatives and UN officials to push for improved coordination of the humanitarian response to refugees and IDPs and to urge UNMISS to prioritize the protection of civilians, including expanding its protection activities beyond its bases.

IMPACT: In March, RI was invited to present recommendations on how UN peacekeepers can RI’s report, South Sudan: A Nation protect civilians to a high-level Uprooted, was highlighted by Sudan independent panel of experts appointed by UN Tribune, a nonprofit website run by a team Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The panel’s of independent Sudanese international final report echoed RI’s input for accountability journalists and editors. for peacekeepers who fail to protect despite the means and information to do so.

RI’s work on protection issues in countries where there are active peacekeeping missions directly feeds into the Partnership for Effective Peacekeeping (PEP). The PEP is a non-partisan coalition,

From top to bottom: Internally displaced people at co-chaired by RI, the Better World Campaign, and GlobalSolutions.org, and hosts regular events on the Protection of Civilians site in Bentiu, South strengthening UN peacekeeping. In July 2015, the PEP held a special briefing with Ms. Ameerah Haq, Sudan; A group of children living inside a Protection former UN Under-Secretary General for Field Support and former Vice Chair of the High-Level Independent of Civilians site in Juba, South Sudan; Armored personnel carriers inside the UNMISS Base. Panel on UN Peace Operations.

REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL 3 Syria Crisis: Turkey In 2015, the Syrian civil war continued to In March, RI sent a team to Turkey to assess two separate issues. devastate the country and displace millions The first was the birth registration process for Syrian babies born in of people in the region, with many continuing Turkey to refugee parents. RI found that the majority of Syrian on to Europe. The conflict in Syria now newborns are at a heightened risk of . At the time, accounts for roughly 20% of the record-high about 50,000 babies had been born to refugee parents and the huge 60 million displaced worldwide by conflict or majority of them were not being registered with either the Syrian or persecution. Since the start of the conflict in the Turkish government. This was creating a situation in which the unregistered children would spring 2011, RI has conducted a dozen potentially be stateless and, thus, barred from entering Syria when they return home. missions to the Middle East, witnessing the The second focus in Turkey was the support international donors and the UN were providing evolution of the situation of Syrian refugees for local Syrian humanitarian organizations working from neighboring countries to supply most in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Egypt, and of the aid in Syria. There has long been acknowledgement that these groups are essential to northern Iraq. To build upon our work, in the humanitarian response. However, it has been difficult to secure funding for them because 2015 RI returned to the region to look at the most were newly established, and it has been unclear whether the international groups that needs of displaced Syrians in Turkey, supported them at the start were preparing them to work independently. RI continued to Greece, and Jordan. examine the growth and capacity of these groups and supported their inclusion in international humanitarian initiatives to help them operate independently.

IMPACT: RI’s IMPACT: Since RI’s recommendations on mission in Turkey in addressing the issue 2013, RI had been were welcomed by pressing the U.S. the Turkish government to fund a government and have been significant capacity-building initiative incorporated into services provided to specifically for expanding the capacity of Syrian refugees in the country. local Syrian aid groups. In late 2015, the Furthermore, there was a substantial U.S. allocated $10 million to this initiative. Senior Advocate Daryl Grisgraber appeared on increase in worldwide attention on birth This entirely new fund was established in PBS NewsHour in January and April to discuss registration issues for Syrian refugees. response to RI’s consistent advocacy to refugees and migrants in the Mediterranean. empower local Syrian groups.

Above: Two sisters and one of their sons who arrived from Syria recently before RI’s mission. Despite their temporary protected 4 REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL status, they still could not access services. Greece-Mediterranean “WE WALKED A WEEK TO ARRIVE TO TURKEY. WE TRIED 4 OR 5 TIMES TO CROSS THE SEA BY BOAT AND THEY WERE TURNING THE BOATS AROUND BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER. THE TURKISH COAST GUARDS WERE TURNING THE BOATS AROUND WITHOUT ASKING THEM ANYTHING.” –SYRIAN REFUGEE, GREECE

Women line up to register with a local NGO for assistance During 2015, over one million refugees and asylum seekers, primarily fleeing conflict in Syria, in Sanliurfa, Turkey. Before they can take this step, they must first register with the Turkish government. Afghanistan, and Iraq, crossed the Mediterranean Sea from Turkey and arrived on Europe’s shores. Towards the end of 2015, RI visited Greece to meet first-hand with those arriving by boat onto the island of Lesvos. Immediately after disembarking, most refugees were overjoyed and relieved to have arrived in Europe, but they also encountered a chaotic and confusing scene as With the uptick in the arrivals of refugees in volunteers and aid workers scrambled to provide people with warm meals, dry clothes, and Europe, media coverage of the information about how to register with Greek authorities and continue their journey into Europe. surged. RI was a sought-after source for the During our mission in November, Macedonia partially closed its border and thousands of refugees media for information and analysis on the had amassed on Greece’s northern border, unable to cross. RI has begun our advocacy for a global refugee crisis and on resettling Syrian coordinated European response that is rooted in protecting refugees and providing safe and legal refugees in the U.S. RI was featured on CNN, pathways for movement, rather than one that emphasizes restrictions and border fences. In 2016, BBC, CNBC, NPR, PBS NewsHour, Al Jazeera we will continue our advocacy in the region— amplifying the voices of the displaced. America, HuffPost Live, BuzzFeed, PRI’s The

World, Huffington Post, among others. Refugees and asylum seekers arriving in Lesvos, Greece in November 2015.

In October, RI President Michel Gabaudan spoke on a panel at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies on the refugee crisis in Europe.

REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL 5 In March, RI President Michel Gabaudan wrote Jordan an article for The Huffington Post on the fourth “THE CHALLENGE IS NOT KEEPING PEOPLE ALIVE; IT’S GIVING THEM A FUTURE.” anniversary of the Syria crisis. –UN STAFF MEMBER, JORDAN

More than 85% of the Syrian refugees in Jordan live among the local population and receive far less attention than those living in camps. In August, an RI team visited Jordan to focus on these refugees and found that they were living in difficult conditions despite an improvement and expansion of the humanitarian response. At the time of the mission, the World Food Program cut its provisions to refugees worldwide, including the Syrians in Jordan. In addition, a significant exodus of Syrians across the Mediterranean and into Europe was confronting the region. Many Syrians in Jordan spoke of leaving because living conditions were still deteriorating and they no longer saw a future for themselves there. In September, Mr. Gabaudan testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee IMPACT: RI pushed for alongside the presidents of the U.S. Institute assistance beyond of Peace and International Rescue Committee immediate, urgent needs, at a hearing on the U.S. Role and Strategy in given that many refugees the Middle East. have been in Jordan for almost half a decade. Food assistance has Syrian boys at a refugee camp in Jordan. been significantly restored for Syrian refugees in Jordan, including those living outside of camps, and discussions about

livelihoods are underway. RI continues to Syrian refugees at Za’atari Camp in Jordan. push for substantive assistance from the international community as the civil war in In January, Senior Advocate Daryl Grisgraber Syria continues with no end in sight. was quoted by ABC News in a story about the need for more US aid for Syrian refugees in winter.

12 million That same month, Ms. Grisgraber was quoted The number of Syrians who were in a US News & World Report story on the forcibly displaced in 2015. Syrian refugee response.

6 REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL Senior Advocate Mark Yarnell meeting with refugees at a camp outside Bambari, Central African Republic. Below: Mr. Yarnell and A displaced child at an IDP site in the Central African Republic. an IOM employee at the Bangui central mosque which hosts many IDPs.

IMPACT: The U.S. Central African Republic announced $15.5 million in additional funding, “IF I GO HOME, WHERE WILL I SLEEP? MY HOME WAS DESTROYED.” including humanitarian –INTERNALLY DISPLACED MAN, BAMBARI, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC assistance, for the Central When RI returned to the Central African Republic (CAR) in May 2015, African Republic. This was a key civil confl ict had displaced nearly a quarter of the country’s 4.6 million recommendation from our report, Central people. Compared to RI’s mission to CAR in 2014, certain parts of the African Republic: The Spotlight is Gone, the country had stabilized, and donors were turning their attention toward Crisis Continues. early recovery programs, as well as planning for national elections. However, several locations that were calm at the beginning of the crisis became engulfed in confl ict as rebel groups and militias relocated throughout the country through late 2014 and early 2015. RI visited IDP “There are numerous humanitarian crises camps, including those in which international humanitarian actors were operating, and found ongoing throughout the world, and the global that, overall, camp conditions were dismal. RI directed a spotlight toward the acute needs of resources are stretched. But while international the newly-aff ected areas and successfully pressed the UN and U.S. government to continue attention on CAR has waned, the situation for providing essential humanitarian assistance. many remains dire.” –Mark Yarnell, RI Senior Advocate The number of people civil confl ict has displaced 1.15 million from a population of 4.6 million people in 2015. REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL 7 Chad “MY CHILDREN DON’T UNDERSTAND WHAT IS HAPPENING. THEY CRY AND CRY AND ASK WHY CAN’T YOU FEED ME?” –SUDANESE REFUGEE, WADIFIRA, CHAD

More than ten years after first fleeing war in Darfur, more than 360,000 Sudanese refugees remain stuck in eastern Chad—an isolated and underdeveloped region in a country with an abysmally low ranking of 185 on the UN Development Programme’s A mother, daughter, and her children in Farchana refugee camp, Chad. They have been there for 10 years. The family is often Human Development Index. When RI visited forced to skip meals due to a lack of food. Chad in 2015, these refugees were facing dramatic cuts to food rations and other services, and they had few opportunities to support themselves through agriculture or In July, Senior employment. Advocate Ann Hollingsworth IMPACT: RI advocates testified pushed the United before the U.S. House of Nations to reverse Representatives’ some of the most Foreign Affairs Subcommittee for Africa, Global harmful reductions in Health, Global Human Rights, and International aid, and the UN responded by releasing $6 Organizations on displacement in Africa and RI’s million in new support for Sudanese recent mission to Chad. RI Advocates Michael Boyce and Ann Hollingsworth interview local Chadians about their individual needs and refugees. experiences with Sudanese refugees. ©UNHCR

The amount of calories in food rations per day for some Sudanese 800 calories refugees—woefully inadequate for proper nutrition and health.

8 REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL El Salvador IMPACT: Following the “THE END GOAL IS NOT THE UNITED STATES—IT’S GETTING OUT OF mission, civil society EL SALVADOR.” –INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSON, EL SALVADOR organizations have In June 2015, RI traveled to El Salvador, a country with one received international of the highest murder rates in the world, to shine a spotlight funding in support of their on forced displacement due to gang violence. Only six work on IDPs. Additionally, the U.S. months into the year, thousands of Salvadorans had been announced that it would be working closely murdered, and hundreds of thousands more were subject with the UN Refugee Agency to admit a to extortion, death threats, forced recruitment, and rape by greater number of refugees from Central the country’s two major gangs. Although the El Salvadoran America. A unit of the National Civil Police of El Salvador. government has made efforts to combat the extraordinary Many Salvadorans declined being photographed level of violence, it has paid no attention to the tens of for fear of retaliation. thousands of Salvadorans forcibly displaced from their homes. Our advocates met with families living in constant fear on the run or in hiding, as well as the few local actors who were assisting Below: A drawing by a 7-year-old girl in El Salvador. Due to threats from gang members, her family was forced to flee them. In addition to calling on the El Salvadoran government to establish a coordinated their home. She lost her father to gang violence three years response for the forcibly displaced, RI pressed the international community, including the U.S., to before. When RI met with her in June 2015, she and her family had been hiding in a safe house for a month, and she provide humanitarian assistance to families in desperate need of protection. had not even been able to go outside.

RI’s report was widely covered in U.S. media Ms. Reynolds moderated a briefing at the U.S. and Latin America media, such as Reuters House of Representatives on the underlying and Fox News Latino. reasons for the movement of Central Americans coming to the U.S. seeking protection. NPR’s Latino USA program investigated Mexico’s internally displaced population, with In October, RI hosted Cristosal—an an interview with Sarnata Reynolds, Senior independent El Salvadoran non-profit and Advisor on Human Rights. The reporter partner on the El Salvador mission—and accompanied RI on our brief follow-up mission assisted Cristosal with its outreach strategy to to Mexico during the summer of 2015. the U.S. government.

REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL 9 Ukraine “UKRAINE IS IN THE MIDST OF EUROPE’S LARGEST INTERNAL MIGRATION CRISIS IMPACT: Following RI’s SINCE WORLD WAR II.” –RI, UKRAINE: AN INVISIBLE EMERGENCY mission, the UN increased support to local NGOs and committed in 2016 to work with over 100 local organizations, concentrating aid on the 1.2 million living in the conflict area and pressing for unimpeded access particularly to separatist-controlled areas.

RI President Michel Gabaudan surveys heavily damaged homes in eastern Ukraine. Photo by Patrick Breslin for RI.

In 2015, a separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine had displaced over 1.7 million Ukrainians, killed 10,000 and injured thousands more from indiscriminate shelling, land mines, and explosive RI Honorary Advisor Dawn Calabia remnants of war. In July, RI’s mission to Ukraine helped focus greater international attention on alongside Ambassador Paula J. Dobriansky the unmet humanitarian needs of the displaced, particularly civilians living near the line spoke at the Women’s Foreign Policy separating the opposing forces. Residents of this “grey zone” were at risk due to cutoffs of Group on the crisis in Ukraine in October. water, gas, and electricity, and reduced services. Restrictions on movement limited the residents’, the UN’s, and international groups’ ability to meet basic needs. RI highlighted the In December, Ms. Calabia also presented effective humanitarian work undertaken by Ukrainian civil society organizations in partnership on a panel at the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation with local government and urged increased international collaboration and funding for these on humanitarian, development, and cost-effective local actors. peacekeeping assistance in Ukraine.

10 REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL Iraq “PEOPLE CAME HERE EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE SHORTAGES. SAFETY IS MORE IMPACT: Following the IMPORTANT THAN HUNGER.” –INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSON, IRAQ release of RI’s report, The displacement crisis in Iraq continued to grow as the fighting between ISIS and the Iraqi the international staff government and its militias persisted. In August 2015, an RI team traveled to Iraq to assess the presence in Baghdad humanitarian situation for IDPs who had relocated to areas of the country other than Kurdistan increased and the (which was well-covered by humanitarian actors). Practically no information was forthcoming USAID-Iraq mission remains open until on the rest of the country given the precarious security situation. Just five miles away from the foreseeable future. territory controlled by ISIS, RI staff met IDPs living in desperate conditions. Humanitarian aid actors were few and far between. Upon return, RI briefed U.S. policymakers on the needs of the displaced and how the Iraqi government could best be supported to take charge of assisting its displaced people. RI pushed key stakeholders to strengthen their presence and build on existing programs in order to reach the most vulnerable people. 1.2 million out of 3.1 million The number of Iraqi IDPs countrywide who were in areas where RI conducted In May, Senior Advocate Daryl its mission. Grisgraber spoke with WBUR/National Public Radio about the surge of refugees in Iraq.

In February, RI President Michel Gabaudan was on a panel at the Iraqi Cultural Center organized by Education for Peace in Iraq Center (EPIC) on The Deepening Humanitarian and Human Rights Crisis in Iraq.

Far right: Ms. Grisgraber meeting with a displaced mother and her son at an IDP camp in Baghdad province. Top right and bottom right: Displaced Iraqis living in a camp in Baghdad province.

REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL 11 Malaysia & Myanmar “WE HAD GOALS AS UNIVERSITY STUDENTS, BUT IN 2012 THEY CHANGED FROM FINISHING OUR STUDIES TO STAYING ALIVE.” RI Board Member Matt Dillon visited —YOUNG ROHINGYA REFUGEE IN PENANG, MALAYSIA Myanmar to raise awareness about the situation of the Rohingya. His trip was Since 2012, more than 100,000 Rohingya fled Rakhine State in Myanmar by boat and more covered by local and international media. than 1,000 died during the journey. Currently, as many as 150,000 Rohingya live in Malaysia, Upon return to the U.S., he continued to where they are considered “illegal” migrants, regardless of whether they are registered with advocate for the rights and protection of the the UN Refugee Agency—and most are not. In 2015, RI looked at the regional response on Rohingya. This included a press conference Rohingya refugees and the specific context for the Rohingya now in Malaysia, both new at the National Press Club and an interview refugee arrivals and second or third generations. The conditions for the Rohingya in Malaysia with Charlie Rose, both with RI President are dire and families struggle to ensure their children are educated and that they can secure Michel Gabaudan. work without constant harassment and danger.

IMPACT: RI’s recommendations directly informed planning for the November 2015 ASEAN Summit. In March 2016, it was announced that Malaysia will begin working with countries of origin to offer limited visas for workers although with restrictions. RI President Michel Gabaudan spoke on a panel at the Center for Strategic and International Studies on Southeast Asia’s refugee crisis.

In May, Sarnata Reynolds, Senior Advisor on Human Rights, spoke with PBS NewsHour Above: RI Board Member Matt Dillon at the National Press Club discussing his recent trip to Myanmar and the plight of the about why thousands of Rohingya refugees Rohingya. Left: A Rohingya mother and daughter in front of have fled Myanmar, only to be stranded homes in Kedah, Malaysia that were burned to the ground two weeks before RI arrived. The families had lost everything. at sea.

12 REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL Burundi “I RECEIVED A TEXT SAYING I WOULD BE ‘ELIMINATED’ TODAY, SO I’M TRYING TO LEAVE. BUT I CAN’T CROSS TO TANZANIA BECAUSE THE BORDER IS PATROLLED EVERYWHERE. I DON’T KNOW WHERE TO GO.” –INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSON, BURUNDI

The small African nation of Burundi took a turn toward chaos in 2015 when President Pierre Nkurunziza sought a controversial third term in office. In the violent months that followed, internally displaced Burundians remained hidden and unaided by the international community. Some Burundians who tried to flee the country were also blocked by security forces and youth militias. In September 2015, RI advocates traveled to the country to meet with IDPs, record their stories of persecution, and push for their protection. RI’s subsequent report called on humanitarians to start helping IDPs, and urged the United Nations and African Union (AU) to patrol Burundi’s borders so would-be refugees could cross in safety.

IMPACT: After RI Nearly all displaced individuals RI spoke with requested that their faces not be shown to protect their identities. returned from its The Burundian man pictured was in hiding and feared for his life after pro-government militias threatened him because of his political positions. He was forced to leave his family behind and was living in the forest, hoping to cross the border to safety in Tanzania. mission, the European Union pledged €5 million in aid ($5.6 million) for the Burundi crisis—including, for the first time, “humanitarian protection activities inside Burundi.” The AU, as well as UN Security Council member states, also expressed support for the border monitoring force RI proposed.

RI was the first organization to report on Burundi’s internally displaced. RI’s report was covered by Reuters, the International Business Times, RFI, and widely circulated in local media in Burundi.

The number of Burundians who fled to neighboring countries 200,000 between April and November 2015. REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL 13 IMPACT: RI’s findings Rwanda prompted strong statements of concern “ONE REFUGEE WHO CHOSE NOT TO ENLIST WAS TOLD BY RECRUITERS THAT HE by the U.S. Department ‘WILL DISAPPEAR INTO THE AKAGERA RIVER.’” of State and the –RI, ASYLUM BETRAYED: RECRUITMENT OF BURUNDIAN REFUGEES IN RWANDA Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs As violence and unrest hit Burundi in 2015, more than 70,000 Burundian refugees fled into Committee, Representative Ed Royce of neighboring Rwanda. Many of these refugees in Rwanda reported to RI that they were being California. Days after the report’s release, recruited—often by force—into armed groups seeking to overthrow the Burundian government. the United States froze the assets of a RI’s groundbreaking report from Rwanda exposed a sophisticated, transnational recruitment Burundian politician whose party was network—one that even targeted refugee children as young as 16. accused of recruiting refugees.

RI’s report on refugee recruitment in Rwanda was our most widely covered report of the year. It was covered extensively by international media, including the BBC, Reuters, AFP, the Economist, Le Monde, Global Post, Vice, RFI, Deutsche Welle, and Voice of America.

Our report was mentioned in opinion pieces in the New York Times, Newsweek, and the Washington Post.

Burundian refugees line up for a distribution in Mahama camp, Rwanda.

14 REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL Firewood to be shared amongst Burundian refugees at Mahama camp, Rwanda.

REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL 15 Climate Displacement In addition to the 60 million displaced worldwide, an average of 22.5 million people are newly displaced each year by climate or weather-related disasters. That is equivalent to 62,000 people every day. Although floods, droughts, and other climate-related disasters affect rich and poor countries alike, it is the poorest and most vulnerable communities A home toppled by powerful flood that are hardest hit. RI’s Climate Displacement Program advocates for improved protection and assistance for those waters in Sagaing, Myanmar. displaced by climate-related disasters in poor and fragile states. We work both on the ground in the wake of disasters to ensure that the needs of displaced populations are being met and at the global level to advocate for effective solutions for those uprooted by extreme weather and other climate change effects. These populations are not protected under the UN Refugee Convention. RI’s Climate Displacement Program has emerged as a leading voice on the urgent need for governments and humanitarian agencies to better prepare for climate-related impacts, prevent displacement where possible, and to build the resilience of the most vulnerable communities to withstand and recover when disasters strike.

Initiative on Cross-Border Displacement government’s plans to relocate one in the Context of Disasters and Climate million displaced people in the wake of > As a result of sustained advocacy by RI Change, a two-year initiative led by the Typhoon Haiyan. and its partners, the new UN Paris Climate Norwegian and Swiss governments to build Change Agreement adopted in December international consensus on how to better > As the co-chair of a working group on disaster 2015 and assist and protect those forced from their risk reduction (DRR), RI spearheaded joint endorsed by over homelands by disasters and climate change advocacy on behalf of U.S. NGOs and 193 governments who are not protected under the 1951 in coordination with European NGOs to sets up a “Climate Refugee Convention. RI is invited to provide ensure that the new Sendai Framework for Displacement Task expert input to support implementation of the DRR, adopted in March 2015 by 187 countries, Force” to identify Nansen Initiative Protection Agenda in 2016. included ambitious commitments to increase In June, Climate Displacement solutions to climate financing for reducing disaster risk and Program Manager Alice Thomas displacement. RI > RI was a key contributor to the development building resilience at the local level. presented at a Woodrow Wilson of a new set of guidelines for government- Center event on Global Trends and its partners led, planned relocation in the context of > RI’s submissions and proposed language and Implications for National have been on the threat that climate change presents Security and Diplomacy. invited to provide disasters and climate change led by The to security and stability were included recommendations and expert input to the Brookings Institution, Georgetown University, in the U.S. Department of State’s 2015 Task Force established in 2016. and UN Refugee Agency. RI also contributed a case study on post-disaster relocation based Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development > RI was instrumental in convincing the on RI’s extensive research and advocacy Review (QDDR) Report—a major blueprint U.S. government to support the Nansen regarding shortcomings in the Philippine that guides U.S. priorities abroad.

16 REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL Climate Displacement Mission: Myanmar “IF LEFT UNADDRESSED, THE IMPACTS OF THE 2015 FLOODS DISASTER ON MYANMAR’S RURAL POOR ARE LIKELY TO CONTRIBUTE TO EXISTING PUSH FACTORS LIKE PERSECUTION, MARGINALIZATION, AND GRINDING POVERTY TO FURTHER DRIVE BOTH INTERNAL AND INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION.”

–RI, MYANMAR FLOODS: MISSED OPPORTUNITIES BUT STILL TIME TO ACT A family displaced by massive flooding and landslides in Persecution and ethnic and religious conflict are not the only cause of displacement in Sagaing, Myanmar. Myanmar. The country is also ranked the second most vulnerable in the world to disasters IMPACT: RI’s and climate change. In mid-2015, the worst flooding in decades—combined with a tropical recommendations cyclone—destroyed the homes and livelihoods of 9.5 million people, forcing the government regarding the need to to declare a state of emergency and request international humanitarian aid. In late-2015, RI support the most traveled to the worst-affected areas of the country to assess the response by the international vulnerable flood-affected community and the ongoing protection and assistance needs of more than a million people communities to recover their homes and displaced by the disaster. RI’s report revealed that despite the country’s high vulnerability to livelihoods, and to improve disaster climate-related hazards, the floods/cyclone caught international agencies off guard, resulting preparedness and response operations, in an underwhelming response and missed opportunities. were adopted in the UN’s 2016 humanitarian response plan for Myanmar. Left: Families who lost their homes in unprecendented floods in Rakhine State, Myanmar reside in makeshift shelters along the road. Right: A single mother and her daughter forced to flee reside in a makeshift shelter in Myanmar.

REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL 17 Women and Girls In instances of armed conflict and displacement, women and girls face exceptional danger. They live under the constant threat of acts of gender-based violence (GBV), such as rape, sexual assault, domestic violence, and traditional harmful practices like female genital mutilation (FGM) and early marriage. In addition, women have a more difficult time obtaining access to official documents required to determine nationality, leaving them at risk of A Burundian woman and girl in a refugee camp in Tanzania. statelessness.

RI advocates for the respect of women’s rights and calls for the international community to prioritize the needs of women and girls who have been forced to flee their homes. RI holds the UN, U.S. government, humanitarian actors, donor nations, and host governments accountable to recognize GBV as life-threatening and to meet the specific needs of women and girls.

RI ensures that policymakers and humanitarian actors listen to and prioritize the needs of women and girls, starting with minimizing the risks of GBV as a necessary first step. RI works to ensure that women and girls benefit from GBV lifesaving programs, including access to medical, psychological, legal, and security assistance.

RI has made it a priority to advocate for improved humanitarian responses that elevate the well-being and safety of women and girls.

> In November, Francisca Vigaud-Walsh, > Ms. Vigaud-Walsh discussed the allegations Senior Advocate for Women and Girls, of sexual exploitation and abuse by UN > RI’s report on Congolese women and took part on a panel on sexual violence in peacekeepers in the Central African violence is cited as a “Must Read” by conflict at the American Society for Republic on France24 in August. Foreign Policy’s Democracy Lab. International Law (ASIL), where she spoke of the specific vulnerabilities and > In February, Marcy Hersh, Senior Advocate types of sexual violence experienced by for Women and Girls, presented her women and girls fleeing from conflict. in-depth field report on gender-based violence in the Democratic Republic of > In December, Ms. Vigaud-Walsh appeared Congo to members of the Women’s on Voice of America’s Washington Forum Foreign Policy Group at events in both to talk about the conflicts and displacement Washington, DC and . in the Central African Republic and Burundi.

18 REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL Women and Girls Mission: Tanzania “EVERY SINGLE SERVICE WE ARE PROVIDING IS SUBSTANDARD. EVERY TIME I GO TO ONE OF THE MASS SHELTERS, I FEEL LIKE I NEED TO APOLOGIZE TO THE REFUGEES.” –UN OFFICIAL IN KASULU, TANZANIA

By October 2015, a violent political crisis in Burundi had forced more than 220,000 refugees to flee. Over half of them were female, many of whom experienced gender-based violence (GBV), including sexual violence, during their plight. Nearly 50% of Burundian women and girls who reported GBV upon arrival in Tanzania required post-rape care. RI traveled to Tanzania to assess whether international standards were being met to meet the needs and ensure the protection of women and girls. Many female refugees in Tanzania told RI that the threat of violence continued for them in the very camps where they should feel safe. RI found that humanitarian efforts in Tanzania fell unacceptably short of minimum standards, and failed to adhere to guidelines for GBV interventions in humanitarian settings, thereby increasing women and girls’ risks to GBV.

IMPACT: RI was the first organization to raise awareness of the conditions in the camp and its impact on Burundian refugee women and girls through its report, Women and Girls Failed: The Burundian Refugee Response in Tanzania. As a result, humanitarian actors in the country have committed to improve conditions and strengthen protective measures for women and girls. Further, international donors increased their financial contributions to the Burundian refugee response. The number of cases reported of gender-based violence among Burundian 651 refugees from May to In December, RI’s Tanzania report was September. featured in a BuzzFeed article, prompting an immediate public response from the Top: Shower facilities in camps fail to meet minimum standards to reduce the risk of GBV. Middle: A mapping UN Refugee Agency’s representative in exercise completed by Burundian refugees at Nyarugusu Tanzania. camp, the red Xs were labeled unsafe (including toilets and showers), while the green Xs were deemed to be safe areas. Bottom: Burundian refugee women in Nyarugusu.

REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL 19 Human rights activist Tun Khin delivering his acceptance speech at RI’s 36th Annual Anniversary Dinner.

“I DO NOT EXIST, THAT IS WHAT THE BURMESE GOVERNMENT SAYS. THEY CLAIM THE ETHNIC ROHINGYA OF BURMA, AROUND A MILLION PEOPLE, HAVE NEVER EXISTED… WE HAVE LOST EVERYTHING FROM OUR CITIZENSHIP, THE RIGHT TO MARRY, THE RIGHT TO HAVE CHILDREN, AND MOST RECENTLY, THE RIGHT TO VOTE. MANY HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND 140,000 ROHINGYA FLED THEIR HOMES. THEY ENDED UP IN THE SQUALID CAMPS AND THE GOVERNMENT BLOCKED HUMANITARIAN ACCESS. REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL WAS ONE OF THE FIRST ORGANIZATIONS TO RESPOND [TO THE] CRISIS.” – TUN KHIN, HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST, RECIPIENT OF THE 2015 RICHARD C. HOLBROOKE LEADERSHIP AWARD

20 REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL Support Refugees International Ways to Give President’s Advocacy Society “RI NEEDS YOUR HELP TO HOLD UP HIGH THE PRINCIPLE THAT A REFUGEE IS Donors of $1,000 or more receive exclusive A REFUGEE AND SOMETHING MUST BE DONE.” opportunities to engage with RI President Michel –SAM WATERSTON, RI BOARD MEMBER, 2015 NY CIRCLE Gabaudan as well as with advocates who have Public Education Events recently returned from field missions. Online In 2015, the increase in harmful rhetoric and myths surrounding refugees and displaced Make a secure contribution on our website at: persons made it paramount for RI to intensify our engagement in public education. RI refugeesinternational.org/donate. continues to counter and dispel pervasive myths when we speak publicly about our work. Donors, supporters, and policymakers receive the latest updates from our missions and Mail Make checks payable to: raise critical funds for our programs. Refugees International The premier event is RI’s Anniversary Dinner held each spring in Washington, D.C. We 2001 S Street NW, Suite 700 Washington, DC 20009 inform the public about the plight of the world’s most vulnerable populations, as well as celebrate exceptional individuals who have demonstrated remarkable leadership and Combined Federal Campaign strong commitment to humanitarian action. Last year, RI presented our highest honor—the The Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) gives federal McCall-Pierpaoli Humanitarian award—to Maureen Orth, a nationally-recognized journalist employees the opportunity to give to charitable organizations via a payroll deduction. Please and author. Past recipients include former Nobel Peace Prize Laureate José Ramos-Horta, consider giving to RI using CFC #10664. culinary innovator José Andrés, actor Forest Whitaker, and former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Nane Annan. Gifts of Stock and Planned Gifts Please contact the Development Smaller public education events are held throughout the year in major cities including, but Department at 202-828-0110, ext. 202 or not limited to, Washington, D.C., New York, San Francisco, and Chicago. These events are [email protected]. an opportunity for our supporters to participate in RI’s lifesaving advocacy. For more We would be so grateful if you would notify us that information on our events, please contact [email protected]. you have named Refugees International in your will. Left: McCall-Pierpaoli Honoree Maureen Orth, RI Board Member H.M. Queen Noor, Congressional Honoree We would very much like the opportunity to thank Sen. Chris Coons (DE) at RI’s 2015 Anniversary Dinner. Right: Board Chair Eileen Shields-West, Washington Circle Chair you for your lifesaving gift to help the world’s most Mariella Trager, and guest speaker/author Jessica Buchanan at RI’s Washington Circle. vulnerable people.

Refugees International is a 501(c)(3) organization. All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. U.S. federal tax ID #52-1224516.

REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL 21 Lifesaving Supporters Visionaries Leaders Advisors $75,000 or more $15,000–$24,999 $5,000–$9,999 $2,500–$4,999 Anonymous (2) Anonymous (2) Aegon Transamerica Foundation David Attyah Elizabeth and Michael Galvin Jeannien and Michael Berkman Alcoa Calvin Cafritz Investments Greek Orthodox Church Blue Dream Dr. Scholl Foundation Dima AlFaham Jennifer and Michael Caputo NoVo Foundation Irfan Kathwari Foundation Petra and Hans Andersen Gina and Brooke Coburn Edith Randam Rogers Trust L’Oréal The Angelson Family Foundation Cramer, Rosenthal, McGlynn LLC Eileen Shields-West, Robin West, Tatiana Maxwell Anonymous (2) Sylvia deLeon and Lynn Coleman and the Concordia Foundation MGF Touch Foundation of The Blackstone Charitable Foundation Tami and Jeff Dierman Jan Weil and Amos Avgar The Columbus Foundation Carolyn Brehm and Katucha and Luis Felipe Dutra Leite Repsol Ambassador Richard Boucher Sophal Ear Ridgewells The Brimstone Fund and Cristy West Andrew J. Feldman Foundation Humanitarians Sandra Sennett Tully and Bruce Tully Carlos Brito Ann Friedman, Tom Friedman, and the Ann B. Maureen White and Steven Rattner Sabine and Richard Chalmers and Thomas L. Friedman Family Foundation $50,000–$74,999 World Bank Foundation Law Office of Shu-Ping Chan Goodfriend Family Charitable Fund Anita and Ken Adams Fund Chevron Matching Employee Funds Lynn and Alan Gordon Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld Colbert Family Fund of Coastal The Hassenfeld Foundation Anonymous Benefactors Community Foundation of SC Agnes and Kenneth Jacobs Chicago Community Foundation $10,000–$14,999 Diageo Missy and William Janes Flora Family Foundation Ethan Allen, Inc. Helen and David Kenney Paul Galvin Memorial Foundation Trust Anonymous (2) FedEx Lurie Family Foundation The John D. and Catherine T. Darcy Bacon Fletcher, O’Brien, Kasper and Nottage Angela and Michael Madnick MacArthur Foundation Sarah Bacon Ford Foundation Shaista Mahmood and Ambassador Mark Meiners Bradley Charitable Fund Richard Gluck Rafat Mahmood Charles Monat and the Cheniere Energy Mary and Robert Haft McGraw Hill Financial Charles Steven Monat Foundation Ltd Comcast Haroon Hameed Network for Good The Moriah Fund Kendra Davis and Joseph Trahern Marian and Michael Hoffman Dane Nichols Amanda and Espen Tuft Freeport-McMoran Copper & Gold Maxine Isaacs Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP Christopher B. Galvin Family Foundation Eliana and Simon Jacobs Betsy and Robert Pitts The Honorable C. Boyden Gray Clora Kelly and Helge Skibeli Raffaniello & Associates, LLC Changemakers Louise and Ralph Haberfeld Korn/Ferry International Seiden & Schein, P.C. Diane and Michael Hawkins The Kuwait-America Foundation Ken Soubry Foundation, Inc. $25,000–$49,999 Hess Corporation L Brands Foundation Jennifer and Jack Sullivan Joy and Jonathan Alferness Silke Johnstone and Ambassador L. Linda Lipsett—Jules Bernstein Darren Walker Anonymous (2) Craig Johnstone Charitable Gift Fund Diana and Mallory Walker Lisa Barry and James Gale Patrice and Herbert Miller Maguire, Inc. Caryn and Steve Wechsler Better World Fund Vaithehi Muttulingam and Bala Cumaresan Paul Maxwell Natacha and Anthony Weiss Chevron The Nommontu Foundation Ashley F.T. McCall Weiss Fagen Fund The Nathan Cummings Foundation Patsy and Howard Norton III Karen and Dennis Mehiel The Weiss Foundation Cheryl Feigenson and Jeffrey Tindell Amy Rao The Paridis Family Foundation Christina Weiss Lurie Heineken The Reuter Foundation PepsiCo Frances White Demet Öger and Öger Entertainment Schmidt Family Foundation Pfizer Nina and Dino Saglimbeni Employee Gifting Benefits Program Jamie Rosenthal Wolf, David Wolf, Schaible Seidletz Foundation Rachel and Alex Stern and the Rosenthal Family Foundation U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Americas Malan Strong Clifford Samuel Department, Coalition for the Rule of Law United World Infrastructure, LLC Victoria and Roger Sant Frederica and George Valanos The UPS Foundation Stichting Vluchteling (SV) TAPAS fond de dotation Thendara Foundation The Vranos Family Foundation Lorraine and Christopher Wallace Bettina WitteVeen Dorothy and Kenneth Woodcock

22 REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL Nikhil Gore Margaret Rhee Lois Surgenor Friends GTS Executive Sedan & Limousine Barbara Richardson and Governor Sarah and Jonathan Talcott $1,000–$2,499 Service Inc Bill Richardson Mark & Amy Tercek Foundation Julie and John Hamre Lionel Rosenblatt Mariella and Michael Trager Alamance Foundation Liliane and Christian Haub Dickson Schaefer MGF Sourcing Altman/Kazickas Foundation Sarah and James Heckler Leslie Schweitzer The Susan Ulick Family Fund Raemy Ancarrow and Michael Forscey Richard Holwill Jeffrey Shane United Macedonian Diaspora Jean Anderson and Pete Wales Innisfree M&A Sonal Singh Vasiliki and John Valanos Anonymous (4) Robin and Reuben Jeffery III Bobbie and Dean Smith Deborah and Daniel Waterman Anonymous Donor Advised Fund Martina and W. Braun Jones, Jr. Something Fabulous Kelly Winship of MRG Foundation Robert Trent Jones, Jr. Katherine and Andrew Stephen The Women’s Association, Fifth Avenue The Asgard of Maryland Foundation Walter and Peggy Jones Fund of the Fritz Stern Fund of the Princeton Area Presbyterian Church Ayenda Foundation Community Foundation of New Jersey Community Foundation Judy Woodruff and Al Hunt Mary Bargeron, Erik Herzog, Isaac Herzog, JustGive and Max Herzog Maha Kaddoura Barbara Bartlett Sloan and Howard Sloan Jane Kirby Jane Bernstein and Robert Ellis Patricia and Frederick Klein Kenneth Bertsch The Ann J. and Michael D. Kluger Board Executive Directors Emeriti Antoinette and Edward Brody Philanthropic Fund Farooq Kathwari, Chair Emeritus The Brookings Institution Todd Krim Committee James V. Kimsey, Chair Emeritus Wiley and Janis Buchanan William Krug Eileen Shields-West, Chair Sue Morton, Founder Mary Butler Carolyn Lamm and Peter Halle Elizabeth Galvin, Vice Chair Dr. James Cobey Nora Cameron Laura and Greg Lane Amb. L. Craig Johnstone, Secretary Mary Louise Fazzano Linda and David Carlson Lenzner Family Foundation Jeffrey Tindell, Treasurer Marta Gabre Tsadick Paula Carreiro and Peter Branch Tamara and Robin Lloyd Caufield Family Foundation Elizabeth and Bertil Lundqvist Tom Getman Linda and Robert Chapman Willa and Ted Lutz Board of Directors Susan Goodwillie Stedman Sonal and Rohit Chopra Lynx Investment Advisory Joy Lian Alferness Alan G. Hassenfeld Citigroup Inc. Marlene and Fred Malek Robert Trent Jones, Jr. The David and Olive Coghlan Charitable Giving Sarah Bacon Diana Martin and Frank Burgess Lady Malloch-Brown Fund of the Ayco Charitable Foundation Kathleen and Chris Matthews Lisa Barry Judy Mayotte Deb and Ed Cohen Suzann Matthews Michael Berkman Evelyn and Seamus Connolly Judith Mayotte Jane Best Constance Milstein Maggie and John Cooley McKee Family Foundation Jodi Bond Charles Monat Thang, John, and Billie Cope Allan McKelvie Marianne d’Ansembourg Sally Paridis Mary Crotty and Daniel Livingstone The Robert and Margaret McNamara Matt Dillon Sandra Sennett Tully Didi Cutler and Ambassador Walter Cutler Foundation #3 George Soros Distilled Spirits Council Sophal Ear Sydney McNiff Johnson and Admiral Amb. Frank Wisner Deirdre Donahue and James Dahlberg Jay Johnson Charlene Engelhard James Donald Alexandra Mirzayantz Michael Hawkins Helen and Ray DuBois Isa and Jon Moneypenny Amb. Betty King Council of Advisors Chantal Dukette Moose Charitable Fund Joanne Leedom-Ackerman Amb. John Danforth eBay Foundation and Silicon Valley Rebecca and Marc Moskowitz Michael Madnick Hadeel Ibrahim Community Foundation Diane and Kenneth Murphy Tatiana Maxwell Kati Marton The Ettinger Foundation Narnia Fund Juliet Eurich and Louis Thalheimer Darya and Vali Nasr Vaithehi Muttulingam Loretta Feehan Roseline and Dennis Neveling H.M. Queen Noor Fontheim Partners Her Majesty Queen Noor al Hussein Demet Öger Frost Lighting Marsha Obannon Gov. Bill Richardson Julie Garcia Thomas O’Donnell and Carl Davis Peta Roubin General Electric Company Abby and George O’Neill Nina Saglimbeni Marianne Gimon d’Ansembourg The Dennis A. O’Toole Family Foundation and Alessandro d’Ansembourg Helene Patterson and Leo Mullen Eric Schwartz Global Strategy Group, LLC Pearson & Associates Sam Waterston Luciana Gonzalez-Revilla and Purple Lady, the Barbara J. Meislin Fund Jan Weil Ambassador Emanuel Gonzalez-Revilla Helen Reynolds Natacha Weiss

REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL 23 Statement of Activities End of Year Net Assets $2,000,000 and Change in Net Assets $1,500,000

$1,000,000 2015 2014 Support and Revenue Total Total $500,000 Contributions 1,917,454 2,238,424 Foundation grants 1,497,173 1,446,480 FY2014 FY2015 Investment income 1,151 46,689 In-kind contributions 170,179 115,367 Other loss (1,020) (1,864) Revenue* Total support and revenue $ 3,584,937 $ 3,845,096 Contributions Foundation Grants Expenses TOTAL In-Kind Program Services: $3.6 MILLION Contributions Advocacy 1,660,935 1,894,598 Public education 962,979 893,828 Total program services 2,623,914 2,788,426 Supporting Services: General and administrative 158,317 129,976 Fundraising 299,261 285,133 Total supporting services 457,578 415,109 Total functional expenses $ 3,081,492 $ 3,203,535 Expenses

Total Program Other Items: Pension 41,797 42,215 Services General and 461,648 599,346 Change in Net Assets TOTAL Administrative $3.1 MILLION Fundraising Net assets at beginning of year 1,325,019 725,673

Net Assets at End of Year $ 1,786,667 $ 1,325,019

Please see the 2015 annual audit report found on RI’s website for details. *includes foreign currency fluctuation

24 REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL Children in a flood-affected village in Mrauk U Township, Rakhine State, Myanmar, that was heavily damaged by the floods. Be Informed. Stay Engaged. RI was pleased to launch our new website in the fall of 2015: refugeesinternational.org. Access our latest blogs, photo reports, and video footage published from the field. A big thanks to Amanda and Espen Tuft for their generous support.

Follow us on Twitter @RefugeesIntl Friend us on Facebook at Refugees International Watch us on YouTube at Refugees International Washington, DC Email: [email protected] 1-800-REFUGEE refugeesinternational.org

Displaced children at an IDP camp in Bambari, Central African Republic.